


Unspoken

by cattacodinosaur



Series: The Undone Series [4]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, Pining Rhett, angsty, part of a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-12 02:58:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11728086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cattacodinosaur/pseuds/cattacodinosaur
Summary: This is the long anticipated follow-up to Unsent.What happens after Link finds the letters?





	Unspoken

* * *

 

Ten minutes. Link had been upstairs for ten minutes. Usually, Rhett saw no reason for concern when Link took longer than necessary to accomplish a task. He was anal retentive. Link's own words, not Rhett's. Rhett considered him meticulous. Thorough. He was a real 'measure twice, cut once' kinda guy. Well, he would be if Rhett let him near any sort of cutting tool.

Still, ten minutes was a long time to grab a sweatshirt. Rhett flipped off the television and stood, his old bones creaking as he stretched his body. He took care of himself, took pride in his appearance. He didn't look forty. In his head, he was still twenty two with a lifetime yet to live.

But Link, Link had gotten better with age. Just when Rhett thought Link couldn't be more handsome, he'd cut his hair. He began working out and eating healthy. With every change, Rhett fell further in love.

Rhett pushed open the door to the bedroom he shared with Jessie. It was slightly ajar and moved smoothly over the plush carpet. 

"You okay, Linkster?" Rhett called into his large bedroom. He scanned the room until his gaze fell on the open closet door. There Link sat, his feet tucked behind him. His bottom was contained in burgundy (or were they maroon? Rhett could never tell.) joggers and it sat lightly perched on his bare heels. Scattered around him were the letters. Letters that Rhett recognized as if they were members of his own family. "Oh." He felt the air in his lungs thicken. 

Link looked up at him, his fingers gently grasping a letter. Rhett silently identified it as the drunken love note he had written while in Slovakia. Link said nothing and looked back down to the time-worn paper in his hands. 

"Link...let me explain..." Rhett was on his knees in front of his best friend in the blink of an eye. Rhett silently willed Link's eyes to meet his. It didn't work. Link kept his chin down, his eyes closed tightly. 

Ten minutes. It felt like ten minutes to Rhett. Words wouldn't come, sentences wouldn't form, his mouth wouldn't open. All he could do was stare at the dark haired man before him and pray that Link would look up, smile that crooked smile and tell him he felt the same. After all these years. 

"Link, please look at me," Rhett begged. His usually strong southern brogue failed him. The words came out small, quiet. Desperate. Link obeyed and slowly drew his gaze away from the declaration of love. They were wet, rimmed red and searching. It seemed as though the dam could burst at any moment and flood the whole room with salty tears. 

Rhett knew those eyes. He looked into those eyes every day since that fateful first day of school. He knew every emotion, every twinkle, every tear. He knew that face better than his own. But this time...this time he couldn't read the feelings in the once bright blue eyes. It looked like love. It looked similar to the eyes that saw their new bride to be for the first time as she met him at the alter. But, they also reminded Rhett of Link's first real breakup. How upset he had been. How he had tried to hide it from his best friend in a bid to appear tough. To make it seem like it hadn't been a big deal. To make it appear as though it didn't hurt him deep down. 

"Link...it's all true. I never meant for you to find out this way. Or...or at all, really. I should have thrown those out a long time ago. I guess I subconsciously hoped you'd recieve them one day and..." Rhett looked at his long fingers as they absentmindedly danced over the old birthday card. 

He looked back up, his green eyes tinged with hopeful gold flecks. They watched as Link's eyes darted all over his face, filled with the same unreadable emotions. They almost seemed willing. Daring. Loving and sad. All these emotions mixed and jumbled and poured into big blue eyes. 

Rhett took the plunge. It was now or never. He leaned in, his lips ready to collide with the soft peppermint flavored ones he longed for. 

Link pulled back and turned his head away. In shame? Disgust? Rhett couldn't be certain. All Rhett was certain of in that brief moment was the pain he felt. The rejection. The feeling that the walls were closing in around him. Of the world stopping. Blue eyes met green; now nearly gray with heartbreak. For the first time, Rhett was able to figure out what Link's eyes had been desperate to convey. 

Ten minutes. They had been sitting in the closet, knees touching and hearts breaking, for ten minutes. Yet, it only took a moment for Rhett to realize. 

Link had said everything he had to say, simply by saying nothing at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry, it's been a million years since I wrote anything for you. And to come back with this. It's not great. We'll get there.


End file.
